Durmax 2.8 I4

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I now own a Chevy Colorado w/ an I4 Duramax. My wife's car is a 2015 Tdi Passat. I run Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 in that car which is both 507.00 and dexos 2 approved/certified. I had a hard time warming up to a 5w30 in an oil burner as my previous car was a Tdi BRM which by most all opinions recommended a 5w40 only. (I actually ran Mobil 1 TDT in that car).

My question is on the Dmax I plan to tow and basically use it as a work truck (location is Eastern NC). Would it be ok or advisable to run a 5w40 dexos 2? Valvoline 5w-40 MST is on my radar, but will a 5w40 be ok in that engine or should I just keep it simple and use the ESP for both vehicles?
 
What rpm does it run typically in top gear? If its really low and it feels like the transmission programming likes to lug the motor all the time, I'd run up a grade just for piece of mind.
RAM ran their ecodiesel a bit too hard at low rpms for 30 weight oil and now recommends 5w40. In theory an inline motor has a lot more room for bigger bearings but then minimizing bearing area help fuel economy...
I run up a grade in the CRV because it spends alot of time at 1500-1600 rpm, plus its old, and there's no significant downsides.
 
What weight does the manual recommend?

Therein lies my questioning.

The manual starts out by saying only use dexos2 certified. Got that. Next it states to: Use SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade engine oil. But it qualifies that further by stating: In an area of extreme cold, where the temperature falls below −29 °C (−20 °F), an SAE 0W-40 oil may be used.

One would think 0w-30 would be the extreme cold temp grade? Are they saying a top viscosity number of 40 is ok?

Pulling a trailer through the mountains on a 90 degree day is why I was thinking a slightly higher viscosity may be in order.
 
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Originally Posted By: IndyIan
What rpm does it run typically in top gear? If its really low and it feels like the transmission programming likes to lug the motor all the time, I'd run up a grade just for piece of mind.
RAM ran their ecodiesel a bit too hard at low rpms for 30 weight oil and now recommends 5w40. In theory an inline motor has a lot more room for bigger bearings but then minimizing bearing area help fuel economy...
I run up a grade in the CRV because it spends alot of time at 1500-1600 rpm, plus its old, and there's no significant downsides.

Thanks. That's and interesting observation. I've never really up to this point studied rpm's although the six speed auto does not appear to drive the engine into low rpms unnecessarily. I'll have to pay more attention to that.

At this point as long as the oil is dexos2 I'm not too sure 5w40 will have any adverse effects on the engine. I'm not even sure it would have any measurable effect on mpg. My plan me be that if my OC comes up in the spring of summer I'll use 5w-40, in the fall or winter 5w30.

I may be overthinking this.
smile.gif
 
Try a 10w-30 in both vehicles and see how they like it. They tend to be on the thicker side of the 30 weight range and are very shear stable for when you are towing. A HDEO would be another option.
 
Oil viscosity decision has more to do with "staying in grade" and EPA/CAFE fuel economy. By using 5W30 vs. 5W40 they get that extra 1mpg at the expense of engine wear.

However I find the C3 30 weight oils are around 12cst@100C which is almost 40 weight area.

Mobil1 ESP 5W30 has shown the best UOA's I've seen from C3 rated oil, its the only C3 oil I've seen that contains molybdenum.

If you did want to bend the rules some another oil you could consider using is Mobil Delvac1 LE 5W30 its ACEA E6 specification which is basically an oil between C3 and CJ4 in terms of SAPS. Its expensive I think $35 a gallon, the higher dollar Mobil Synthetic oils typically have more PAO basestock, making it more of a "real" synthetic.

The goal of Delvac1 LE was to give Class 8 trucks a lower viscosity option to gain mpg without the cost of engine wear. The ACEA E6 spec, applies for DAF european trucks and buses with DPF/DOC/SCR.
 
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I've got one of them.
RPM at 100km/h is around 1,600.

Manual calls for 5w30 dexos 2, or c3. So hths needs to be 3.5 or above.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
Try a 10w-30 in both vehicles and see how they like it. They tend to be on the thicker side of the 30 weight range and are very shear stable for when you are towing. A HDEO would be another option.

LOL.
Tell me you are joking?
 
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Originally Posted By: sohccammer427
I now own a Chevy Colorado w/ an I4 Duramax. My wife's car is a 2015 Tdi Passat. I run Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 in that car which is both 507.00 and dexos 2 approved/certified. I had a hard time warming up to a 5w30 in an oil burner as my previous car was a Tdi BRM which by most all opinions recommended a 5w40 only. (I actually ran Mobil 1 TDT in that car).

My question is on the Dmax I plan to tow and basically use it as a work truck (location is Eastern NC). Would it be ok or advisable to run a 5w40 dexos 2? Valvoline 5w-40 MST is on my radar, but will a 5w40 be ok in that engine or should I just keep it simple and use the ESP for both vehicles?

I use Valvoline 5W40 MST in summers since I push BMW hard and drive a lot in deserts of NV, UT, AZ and CA.
Valvoline is not that much thicker then M1 5W30 ESO, which I use in winter. cst in Vlavoline is 13.1 but HTHS is healthy 3.7. It has low sulfated ash level of 0.76 so DPF solution should stay in check, and it meets MB 229.51 which is MUCH more important then Dexos II.
Also, Valvoline is considerably smoother then M1 5W30 ESP, which is apparently common issue with M1.
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
Try a 10w-30 in both vehicles and see how they like it. They tend to be on the thicker side of the 30 weight range and are very shear stable for when you are towing. A HDEO would be another option.

LOL.
Tell me you are joking?


I've used Rotella T5 10W30 in my ecodiesel during summer. Had it analyzed was perfect. Can't argue with results.
 
Originally Posted By: Fraser434
...If you did want to bend the rules some another oil you could consider using is Mobil Delvac1 LE 5W30 its ACEA E6 specification which is basically an oil between C3 and CJ4 in terms of SAPS. Its expensive I think $35 a gallon, the higher dollar Mobil Synthetic oils typically have more PAO basestock, making it more of a "real" synthetic. ...


Being an amateur oil wank, that oil has never came across my radar.
smile.gif
Nice TBN of 10, but with a sulphated ash content at 1%, I'd probably wait until I'm out of warranty before using that. But no doubt it's a stout looking nectar. But then again, as mentioned in an earlier post, didn't the Dodge Eco change specs from a mid saps Euro to a CJ4? Wouldn't that shorten DPF life?
 
Originally Posted By: sohccammer427
Fraser434 said:
... Wouldn't that shorten DPF life?


No... The Ram's 6.7 Cummins uses the same oil with similar exhaust after-treatment...
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
I've got one of them.
RPM at 100km/h is around 1,600.

Manual calls for 5w30 dexos 2, or c3. So hths needs to be 3.5 or above.

That's pretty low, does it go into boost much before downshifting? With tractor engines this size that rpm would be borderline lugging, and normal working rpm would be up around 2200-2600rpm.
 
moderate acceleration (1/3 throttle) you can hear the variable geometry turbo working...it's a strange sound, very unlike my Nissan.

Above that it drops multiple gears and revs out, sounding very much like a gasser and not a diesel.
 
Originally Posted By: Fraser434
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
Try a 10w-30 in both vehicles and see how they like it. They tend to be on the thicker side of the 30 weight range and are very shear stable for when you are towing. A HDEO would be another option.

LOL.
Tell me you are joking?


I've used Rotella T5 10W30 in my ecodiesel during summer. Had it analyzed was perfect. Can't argue with results.

Good for you.
When DPF fails FCA will cover under warranty?
 
Originally Posted By: BoiseRob
Originally Posted By: sohccammer427
Fraser434 said:
... Wouldn't that shorten DPF life?


No... The Ram's 6.7 Cummins uses the same oil with similar exhaust after-treatment...

Similar or same DPF and SCR?
All SCR systems are similar, but they are not same.
 
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Originally Posted By: sohccammer427
Originally Posted By: Fraser434
...If you did want to bend the rules some another oil you could consider using is Mobil Delvac1 LE 5W30 its ACEA E6 specification which is basically an oil between C3 and CJ4 in terms of SAPS. Its expensive I think $35 a gallon, the higher dollar Mobil Synthetic oils typically have more PAO basestock, making it more of a "real" synthetic. ...


Being an amateur oil wank, that oil has never came across my radar.
smile.gif
Nice TBN of 10, but with a sulphated ash content at 1%, I'd probably wait until I'm out of warranty before using that. But no doubt it's a stout looking nectar. But then again, as mentioned in an earlier post, didn't the Dodge Eco change specs from a mid saps Euro to a CJ4? Wouldn't that shorten DPF life?

Of course it would and will shorten DPF life. I asked that question numerous times what happenes when DPF fails, will FCA extend warranty, but no one answered it.
On top of that, not only that those oils like T6 have more SAPS, they have higher NOACK (T6 is 12.4%).
Stick to C3 oils for Duramax and of course for VW stick with VW504.00/507.00. Since you already using M1 5W30 ESP, just stick to that.
 
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Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
Try a 10w-30 in both vehicles and see how they like it. They tend to be on the thicker side of the 30 weight range and are very shear stable for when you are towing. A HDEO would be another option.

LOL.
Tell me you are joking?

Oy vey. It's one thing to go out of spec, but it's another to do so with some reasoning. A 10w-30 HDEO might be a bit iffy, to say the list. A 10w-30 ILSAC type lube would be downright silly.
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: Fraser434
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
Try a 10w-30 in both vehicles and see how they like it. They tend to be on the thicker side of the 30 weight range and are very shear stable for when you are towing. A HDEO would be another option.

LOL.
Tell me you are joking?


I've used Rotella T5 10W30 in my ecodiesel during summer. Had it analyzed was perfect. Can't argue with results.

Good for you.
When DPF fails FCA will cover under warranty?


Considering FCA changed the ecodiesel oil specification to CJ-4 I don't see the problem, do you?
 
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